Today the Solar Trade Association welcomed the announcements by Ed Milliband regarding solar energy, but expressed disappointment that the proposed rate of investment will be lower than that for other green energy technologies.
The announcements today are intended to shift consumers towards the use of green energy technologies. Ed Milliband indicated today that householders installing low carbon electricity such as Photovoltaics will receive a feed-in tariff of 5–8% of their total initial investment for up to 25 years. Similarly, he announced the Renewable Heat Incentive to commence in 2011 to provide guaranteed income to householders installing renewable heat technologies.
The STA welcomed these bold steps to embrace and extend the use of renewable technologies, but were disappointed that solar thermal technologies were singled out to receive a rate of return half that planned for other renewable heat energy sources. The STA outlined their belief that this has been driven by a lack of understanding of solar energy per se and a similar lack of ambition for progressing solar solutions.
Howard Johns, Chairman of the Solar Trade Association said: “It is extremely disappointing that despite numerous discussions with Ministers and civil servants during the last year they patently do not recognize the huge opportunities for solar thermal in the UK. It is the only zero carbon heat technology available and has yet again been underestimated by the policy makers. There are in excess of 100,000 of these systems out there already, far more than any other renewable heat technology. We will be urgently seeking meetings with DECC to express the concerns of our members who have invested heavily in order to grow the market and are yet again not being recognized.”
Solar thermal systems within homes have the potential to provide very low cost hot water and heating. The scheme announced today will provide an income stream for householders, but in the view of the STA does not place all renewable energy technologies on a level playing field.
Source - Solaruknews
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